The Result of Pretence
by blackmagic0203
Summary: The day the Kyuubi attacked, it was sealed into two babies,the twins of the Yondaime, by the Sandaime. Everything was normal until the Yondaime dies. The council makes Naruto's brother the new Hokage and one of his first acts is to kill Naruto.
1. Chapter 1

AN: This is a new story so tell me if you like it and if I should continue. I'm still debating on whether to make Naruto a hollow or a shinigami so tell me what you guys think. Reviews and comments are appreciated. Pairings are undecided at this point but if I do start adding some romance, this will most likely not be a harem.

AN2: I know that some parts are really confusing so if you don't get a part, just message me or write it in a review and I'll explain it.

Crossover: Naruto and Bleach

Summary so far: The Kyuubi attacks Konoha and the Sandaime sacrifices his life to seal it into Yondaime's newborn twins. The civilians are not informed of the sealing so both children live fairly good lives. That is until circumstances made it so that one of them is chosen to become the next Hokage and kills his brother in an attempt to keep his secret.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach but it would be cool if I did. Then I would be filthy rich...

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

_Jutsu/Kido attacks_

**"Zanpakuto/Hollow/Biju speaking"**

**'Zanpakuto/Holow/Biju thinking'**

* * *

_Have you ever wondered what happens after you die? Are you judged before God and sent to Heaven or Hell? Are you reincarnated with your past lives sealed forever? Or, do you go into an eternal sleep and just cease to exist? Will death really lead to the next great adventure? Will it hurt in my final moments?_

___Well, I guess I'm about to find out soon anyways._

_On that thought, what will happen to my body? Will they bury me in the family grave next to father? But seeing my luck, they'll most likely deny my right and claim that I was never apart of the family in the first place. I can see them parading my body around the village, telling people that the Demon is finally dead. They would probably celebrate fir weeks to come; maybe even making this day a festival day like the Kyuubi Festival on our birthday._

_I wonder what my life would have been like if I was born into a different family. Would I have had real friends who played with me? Trustable teachers who guided me? A family who loved me? I would have probably lived past the age of 15. If I do reincarnate, I hope my next life is different than this one._

_Why is it that I have to die? I was trying to be nice back then. But now, it seems that my niceness has come back to bite me. Why is life so unfair? _

_Oh well, it's all going to end soon. No point in crying over spilt milk I guess._

* * *

-Secret meeting room, Konoha-

**BANG **

**BANG **

**BANG**

I lazily opened my eyes and stared at the man before me. His cold blue eyes glowered into my own dull ones, looking at me as if I were some unworthy specimen. He sat on an ornate throne-like chair, banging his gavel on the sturdy table in front of him like a judge before the condemned.

But, he wasn't a judge and I shouldn't have been condemned. And yet, here we were.

Ignoring the drabble that came out of the man's mouth, I looked around the room for the first time since this I was brought in. The room was lit up by the lanterns that surrounded it and from what I could see, there was nothing special about the room itself. No paintings to brighten the atmosphere and no windows to let in fresh air. It had almost no furniture, save for the two pieces the man in front of me was using. The room was filled with people standing on either side of me, each one adopting a cold face. They were all members of the Shinobi force; all people who I knew in some way.

My eyes continued to scan the room, taking in the stoic faces of the people that I could actually see. I saw the faces of my family and my supposed friends, people who so quickly turned their backs on me for their convenience. But, it didn't really bother me right now. After all, I knew this was going to happen. They thought me ignorant and daft, but I saw through their pathetic lies and false facades.

Only an idiot wouldn't notice how they befriended me only for the status of my family and the power I had.

"Uzumaki Kenta, it has been determined by the esteem council that you are a threat to the village. Because of the high chance that the Kyuubi will take over your body and the many crimes that I have listed before, it is ruled that you will be executed." I heard him say at the end of his long speech. I wanted to yell bullsh*t so badly. What crimes have I commited?

By this point, my head was down. Many would have assumed it was because of shame, but it wasn't. I was trying to hide the anger that was sure to be in my eyes. How dare he take away my last name like that?

"Do you have any last words?" he asked with a voice deeper than my own, breaking the heavy silence. Everyone in the room seemed to focus on me once again. They were probably wondering what kind of words a dead man had to say. There were many things I was tempted to say, things that would have no doubt angered the people here. But, I chose to be semi-civilized in my last moments.

I brought my head back up and stared again at the man's face; one that looked so much like my own.

"Please" I rasped out, my throat scratchy from lack of water and use. Before I could continue, the man cut in.

"Do not even try to beg for your life. It is no use. Stop being a disgrace." The man held a disgusted look on his face, and I didn't even have to look to see that everyone else held the same.

Inwardly I scoffed. He should know by now that I don't beg, ever. Was he using this as a last effort to shame me? Make me look like a coward who begs for my life even as my blood is spilled? I cleared my throat and started again. "Actually, I was going to say please don't interrupt me before I finish. But like always, you jumped the gun." It felt good to have some fun, even in a situation such as this.

Almost immediately, I doubled over in pain. The rope bounding my hands behind my back prevented my reflex to clutch my stomach. I tried to bring my breathing back to normal while wondering what in the world hit me.

"How dare you speak to the Hokage that way! Watch your tongue or I'll cut it off for your insolence!" a penetrating girly voice shouted above me.

Ah, there she was. The queen of banshees herself. I was wondering when she was going to show up and taunt me. She's had it out for me since day one and I still don't even know why. Back then, the man and i were still considered equals. But, that woman really had a pair of lungs on her. I wouldn't be surprised if her shrieks alone were declared an S-ranked weapon.

I could see it now, a bunch of enemy nins holding onto their bleeding ears after she launches her Haruno Screech Jutsu. Maybe she would defect to Otogakure. Hack, she might even manage to annoy them to death and save Konoha any future trouble.

I tilted my head upwards to meet the gaze of my attacker. There she stood, in all her pink haired glory. How one could have such a horrendously intense hair color and still live in our line of work was beyond me. With her dangerously bright red clothes that practically made her a painted target, I'm surprised she hasn't been at least maimed yet.

It could be that she's too weak to go on any really dangerous missions and she always had her teammates to protect her. I snorted as she turned from my kneeled form and started to speak with the man.

"Naruto-sama, I apologize for acting out of turn, but I couldn't stand to hear this _vermin_ insult you." she said with a sickly sweet voice. Good gods! Her voice really grated on the nerves.

"All is forgiven, Haruno-san. Just make sure that it doesn't happen again." he replied with a fake smile of his own.

The pink eyesore gave a slight curtsey, "Of course, Naruto-sama."

I rolled my eyes at her behavior. Honestly, when was the last time a Kunoichi actually curtsied? They were warriors first and women second. They shouldn't even be wearing a skirt, much less a dress to a Shinobi meeting. "I see that you've tamed the beast, brother. Tell me, how did you manage to get her to blindly worship and follow you like this? Did you promise her fame and fortune, since she obviously fails as a warrior?"

The Haruno girl apparently was as stupid as she was ugly because she didn't even realize that I just insulted her.

"Don't call me brother, and Haruno-san is a well-respected member of the Shinobi force. Don't insult her."

I watch with fascination as the banshee realized that she had been insulted. Really, how slow can a person be? Her face contorted with a myriad of emotions. Confusion, understanding, embarrassment, and anger were at the foremost.

"If I'm weak, then you must be weaker than me if my attack caused you to hurt so much." she said with a smug look on her face.

"I'm pretty sure than anyone who's been starved and tortured for weeks will be weak. So I wouldn't be too proud of your kick just now." I drawled out, every bit intent on insulting her. "It was like an insect bite, too weak to do anything. If you hadn't hit a previous wound, I would have felt nothing. Maybe you should start training more instead of stalking my brother?"

"Enough!" the man said with a firm voice, "Don't let him riddle you with his lies. We all know that a fox is known for its trickiness."

I narrowed my eyes. "Do not presume to judge me brother!" I spat out. "Not when you were the one who deceived the most! Did you tell them? Your oh so loyal supporters? Or are you too afraid that they'll turn on you just as quickly as mine turned on me!"

"SILENCE! You will not waste the time of this council with your useless words. And you will do well to remember that I am not your brother!" he yelled with contempt. "Now then, do you have something else to say, or shall we carry on with the sentence?"

I was quiet for a few seconds, trying to gather my bearings. "You broke the promise, brother. The one we made when we were small, before we even started training." I said with a steady voice. My last few words on this earth will not be weak.

"Oh? And what promise is this?" he asked slightly amused, "I remember making no promises, especially with those who are beneath me."

"You forget brother; you were not always above me. But, that is not the point. Since your memory seems to be faulty, I shall enlighten you." I said as I watched the banshee twitch at my insult. "10 years ago, we as brothers swore to each other. We swore to always stand by each other. To always protect each other. To make sure that a day like today, where one of us dies by the hand of the other, would never come."

"Is this some last attempt to make me feel guilty? Such foolish promises mean nothing to me. Promises will not make the village prosper. But, action will. That is why you will die today; for the betterment of the village, you will perish. That is the will of Konoha."

"No, for I know that you no longer feel guilt. I just wanted to say that if I were in your place, I would not be doing this to you. I would have kept my promises. I would have left the village with you if it meant that you had to die." I watched for any response on his face. Deep down I knew; I knew that the boy who I once called brother no longer existed. This man before me was too wrapped in the fox's words. "So now _Naruto_, do what you must, for I no longer call you brother. I no longer care."

I watched as he gave a signal with his hand. I didn't flinch and just stared at him, my eyes boring into his own. I didn't bother looking at anyone else. Not a second later, my world became dark and I embraced the silence.

Namikaze Naruto died that day with both of his names taken away and no one wept.

* * *

-Unknown place-

The Soul King watched as the young man died before his time. The Sandaime Hokage had summoned him 15 years ago to deal with the Kyuubi threat. The Soul King hadn't seen a mortal who was willing to sacrifice his own life to save others in a long time. Impressed by this Shinobi, the King decided to keep a closer eye on the elemental nations and the twin Jinchurikis he helped make.

Now normally, people from the elemental nations didn't go to Soul Society or become Hollows. Instead, they skipped right to the reincarnation phase. But, the Soul King was powerful enough to change that.

Being the Soul King becomes a boring job after the first few centuries. So occasionally, he would chang some things about a person's life to make it more interesting. Then, he would watch that person's life play out. It was literally reality TV.

Seeing the young Namikaze die way before his time, he decided that a change was in order. Every few centuries, there would be some young upstart who tried to steal the Soul King's throne and he had a feeling that it was almost time for someone to try again. He was sure that Naruto would lead an interesing afterlife and make this attempt more exciting to watch. Now, all he had to do was decide whether the yong man should move on to Soul Society or go to Hueco Mundo.

* * *

They were twins at birth, only 2 minutes apart. One sealed with 7 tails of chakra from the Kyuubi no Yoko and the other sealed with its soul and the remaining 2 tails, giving both of them 3 whisker marks on each cheek. No one being could contain an entity as massive and malicious as the Kyuubi. So their father, in his infinite wisdom, decided that if not one than two. Give both some chakra so one wouldn't be jealous of the other and flip a coin to see who gets the soul.

They were so alike in both looks and personality during their first few years of life; so much so that even their parents couldn't tell them apart. Both had spikey blond hair and mischievous blue eyes. They used to play this game where they would switch places just to confuse people.

They were sheltered. Being the children of the Hokage had some disadvantages, the premier being the many enemies their father made during the Great Shinobi Wars. Iwa, especially, would have paid half their village treasury just to kill one of them. So, for the first few years of their lives, no one knew they existed save for a few prominent members of the village. They were pretty much each other's best friend, doing almost everything together.

Back then, they didn't know of their separate burdens. They, like all others in their generation, believed that the Sandaime sacrificed his life to kill the Kyuubi.

When they entered the Academy, they went by the name Uzumaki instead of Namikaze so that no one would know of their heritage. They trained, made friends, and learned of their burdens. Even though they weren't told who had which burden, they were stilled trained in the use of the Kyuubi's chakra. As they got older, they slowly began to learn their family's techniques.

But it seems that because of the use of the biju's chakra, the Kyuubi himself woke up from its slumber. It began to talk to its container, filling his head with sugary words and lies, unbeknownst to anyone else. Its container didn't listen at first, refusing to believe the scenarios the biju played out in his mind. Nevertheless the biju was persistent, constantly talking in his head, and the boy soon caved in.

And then when they were 10, their father died and the village was at a lost. No one was good enough to replace him as Hokage. People were nominated and ultimately refused when discussed by the council. Kakashi was rejected for his perverted nature. Jiraiya for his spy network that would keep him out of the village. Tsunade for her drinking and gambling habits. Danzo for his old age.

The list went on until in the end someone foolishly said "Hey, why don't we nominate the son of the Yondaime?"

The council was at a standstill with the civilian half outright supporting the idea and the Shinobi half undecided. Sure, the boy would make a good Hokage when he grew up but the village needed a leader now, not 10 years later.

Sensing the uneasiness, some of the members in the council proposed a plan. They would groom the child to become the perfect Hokage and have a proxy until he reached the age of 15. That would give him 5 years to be made into a great leader. The best people in each field would tutor the boy so that he would become strong. They didn't want the other nations looking down on them for having a weak Hokage.

In the end, they chose to do it. Making the son of the Yondaime the next Hokage would give the citizens hope. But they had to choose wisely which son to pick. It was then that their mother informed them of the children's burdens. Almost unanimously, they chose the first born: Namikaze Naruto, container of 7 tails of chakra from the Kyuubi. Without its soul sealed into him, he would have immeasurable power with no chance of corruption.

The talks continued and things began to escalate. Civilians started to call for the head of the brother, thinking him to be the Kyuubi reincarnate. They weren't as knowledgeable in the sealing arts as the Yondaime was so they couldn't tell that a container and its prisoner were not the same thing. Even after 10 years, wounds were still sore. They demanded Namikaze Kenta's death.

But their mother stubbornly refused; and, as the wife of the Yondaime as well as a respectable Jounin in her own rights, she got her way. She trusted the seals her husband made and loved both of the children equally.

No one told the two about the decision at first, but it seemed like everyone from the older generation knew. Whenever they saw one of them, they would act nice and tell their children to befriend them. It wasn't until they told them their names that things became different.

Naruto was always treated with kindness while Kenta with scorn. It didn't take long for Kenta to realize this. With the Kyuubi's urging, Kenta began to pretend that he was Naruto, thereby escaping the insults and occasional beating. Naruto, who also noticed the citizens' behaviors, didn't correct them when his brother lied to them. He remembered his father telling him about the duties of an older brother. In order to protect his brother, Naruto sometimes even claimed to be Kenta.

Then, the twins noticed something going on with their friends. People who used to hang out with the two of them would refuse to even stand close to Kenta. Children who never wanted to be their friends before would warm up to Naruto. Even the teachers started to treat them both differently.

Again at Kyuubi's urging, Kenta started to wear clothes that didn't stand out. Naruto, seeing this, decided to wear orange to attract more attention to himself. Soon everyone, even their mother, assumed that the one wearing bright colors was Kenta and the other was Naruto.

Naruto took this in stride, thinking it as a way to protect his younger brother. He figured that when they became older, and subsequently strong enough to protect themselves, they would come clean. By that time, he would be the Namikaze Clan Head and would have enough influence to persuade people to stop bothering his brother. But until then, he would be a good big brother and keep the citizen's ire away from Kenta.

Kenta took advantage of his brother's kindness and didn't feel a thing about it. In his mind, he blamed his brother for being born first. He blamed him for his treatment at the hands of the citizens. He blamed him for not having the Kyuubi's soul sealed in him. He was steadily becoming corrupted by the Kyuubi's influence.

Kenta loved it when he saw his brother insulted or hurt in his place. He started to view his brother as weak and undeserving of the position of clan heir. He loved the feeling of pretending to be Naruto and getting special treatment from people.

It was when Kenta started to recieve special training that Naruto knew something was wrong. Why would they train only one brother? People started to treat Naruto worse and worse. And, the sad part was that no one was doing anything about it, not even their mother. It wasn't until they were both 12 when Naruto finally had enough. He went straight to his mother and asked her what was going on.

His mother didn't want to tell him at first, but his persistent nagging finally got her to cave in. He learned that the council had decided on who would be the next Hokage and about the different burderns he and his brother carried. Naruto finally pieced everything together at that point. His own brother was pretending to be him so that he could become the Hokage. That really pissed him off.

When he explained to his mother that he was actually the real Naruto, something unexpected happened. His mother, who was still depressed at the death of her husband and stressed becasue she was the acting Namikaze Head, slapped him. She called him a jealous liar and told him she was disapointed that he would stoop so low.

Naruto was shocked. His mother hadn't believed him because he had been playing the part of Kenta for so long. And if his own mother didn't believe him, no one else would. When he confronted his brother about this, Kenta sneered at him and claimed him an idiot. He told Naruto that he was never going to change his name back so he better get used to being Kenta for the rest of his life.

Naruto didn't think things could get any worse, but he was wrong. Apparantly, someone had heard him and Kenta arguing about the names. That person spread a rumor saying that Naruto was jealous of his brother and was about to attack him. The citizens, thinking that it's the fox showing his face, began to treat him even worse. They would insult him for tryiing to usurp his brother's position.

The day the twins graduated from the Academy was a memorable one. Kenta was quickly apprenticed to Jiraiya, the legendary Toad Sannin. Naruto was put into a team that by all rights shouldn't have passed their secondary Genin test. It was only due to the unexpected skill Naruto showed that the team managed to pass. Their sensei was a no name Nara who was always too lazy to actually teach anything.

In the next year where Kenta had been allowed to participate in the Chunin exams and pass, Naruto was stuck doing only D-rank missions. His sensei repeatedly stated that C-ranks were too troublesome and that they were not quite ready for one yet.

The day after the twin's 15 birthday, Kenta was inaugurated as the Godaime Hokage in front of the whole village. Everyone was estatic except Naruto, who somehow just knew his life was going to really suck. He immersed himself in his training, vowing to at least be stronger than his twin if he didn't have the same influence. With the help of his Kage Bunshins who spied on his brother's many one on one training sessions, he managed to catch up to Kenta. Since Kenta had to perform his Kage duties, that meant that Naruto had more time.

But it didn't take long for Kenta to notice that his brother was steadily getting stronger. Kenta was no fool. He knew that Naruto would eventually become stronger than him given enough time because Naruto had 7 tails worth of chakra while he only had 2. Then when he gets strong enough, there is a big chance that Naruto might challenge his position. Kenta didn't want that. He had finally found a way to live a good life out of his brother's shadow. He needed a way to get rid of Naruto so that he could continue to claim his name without trouble.

Kenta soon found the perfect way to secure his position. The villagers still hated the Kyuubi even after all these years. Many of them thought that the seals the Yondaime created, which were reinforced by the Soul King himself, were too weak to protect the container from the Kyuubi's influence. They thought that the biju would eventually break out and wreak havok once again.

So, Kenta's devious mind concocted a plan with the help of the Kyuubi. He would claim that his brother commited crimes that showed the Kyuubi was attempting to break out. Then, he would tell the villagers that the only way to keep Konoha safe would be to execute the container, which would take the Kyuubi's soul to the afterlife. This would kill two birds with one stone: get rid of his brother and make him more popular in the eyes of the villagers.

Suprisingly, no one objected to the plan. Not even Kushina, the twins' mother, had anything to say. She was convinced that this was for the best. For the village that her husband and favorite son loved so much, such a sacrifice was okay. She didn't even bat an eyelash as she watched her son condemn his twin, thinking all the while that this was exactly what her husband would have wanted to be done.

* * *

-Character Profiles-

Name: **Namikaze Naruto**

Age: 15

Family: Namikaze Kenta (brother), Namikaze Kyoko (sister), Namikaze Uzumaki Kushina (mother), Namikaze Minato (father, deceased)

Hobbies: Eating ramen (because it wouldn't be Naruto if he didn't love ramen), training, and creating jutsus.

Possible Bloodlines: Rinnegan (through Uzumaki line), Storm release (through Namikaze line)

Status: Deceased

Village: Konoha

Rank: Genin

Chakra amount: High Kage level

Taijutsu: High Chunin level, specializes in the Fist of the 5 Elements

Genjutsu: Low Genin level, adept at the dispelling of high level Genjutsus

Ninjutsu: Low Jounin level, affinity for wind and lightning

Kenjutsu: High Genin level, in process of creating own style

Kinjutsu: Master of Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, Kage Shuriken no Jutsu

Fuinjutsu: Mid Chunin level, good enough to create own storage and gravity seals among others

Name: **Namikaze Kenta**

Age: 15

Family: Namikaze Naruto (brother, deceased), Namikaze Kyoko (sister), Namikaze Uzumaki Kushina (mother), Namikaze Minato (father, deceased)

Hobbies: Training, politics, insulting his brother, and eating yakiniku

Possible Bloodlines: Rinnegan (through Uzumaki line), Storm release (through Namikaze line)

Status: Alive

Village: Konoha

Rank: Hokage

Chakra amount: Low Jounin level

Taijutsu: Low Chunin level, specializes in Shito-ryu style

Genjutsu: Mid Chunin level, has created own Genjutsus

Ninjutsu: Low Jounin level, affinity for water

Kenjutsu: Low Genin level, basic style

Kinjutsu: User of Kage Bunshin no Jutsu

Fuinjutsu: High Genin level, good enough to create simple storage seals


	2. Chapter 2

AN: The next chapter is here and I hope you guys all enjoy it. Reviews and comments are appreciated, especially if you can tell me something that will help me improve this story. And thanks for the reviews so far.

AN2: A quick question. Should I keep doing these small philosophical beginings? Or should I just move on to the story?

On a side note, don't you just hate it when you're reading a story and just when it's getting to the good part, you find out that the author hasn't updated it in 4 years? Or when a story has a completed sign but it's not really completed?

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Naruto or Bleach worlds except my own creations.

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

_Jutsu/Kido attacks_

**"Zanpakuto/Hollow/Biju speaking"**

**'Zanpakuto/Hollow/Biju thinking'**

**_"Soul King talking"_**

**_'Soul King thinking'_**

* * *

_Have you ever wondered why things happen the way they do? Is it just a series of coincidences? Is it because of fate? Or, is it a combination of both? _

_But one thing's for sure. Once something happens, you can no longer go back and change it. No matter how much you want to and no matter how hard you try, it's impossible. Even if, by some miracle, you manage to travel back in time, what happens changes nothing because you would still remember what transpired the first time. Those memories will stay with you forever because as long as one person remembers something, it is immortal. _

_Fate is a fickle topic. _

_Does being born the son of a servant make you a servant? Does being born the son of a king make you a prince? Or, is what you become in the future based on how hard you work in life? Can the son of a servant become a prince? Will the son of a king ever really become a servant?_

_Such things have happened before. A servant who rebels and overthrows a king. A prince who angers his father and loses his status. But how do we know that it wasn't fate that directed this? How do we know that the servant wasn't always fated to become a king, that the prince wasn't always fated to become a servant? _

_The answer is simple. We don't. _

_Is that what makes life so mysterious? To not know if our actions are truly our own. _

_There are those who openly deny the existence of fate, saying things like 'I am who I am because I will it, not because some divine power wills it.' But is that really true? How do we know that we aren't apart of some elaborate plan set up by greater powers? How do we know that our each and every step hasn't been planned out before we were even born? _

_For all we know, we could all be pieces in a complex game played by our creators. After all, chess pieces can't decide their own fates, can they? _

_If you had asked me 5 years ago if I believed in fate, I would have said no. I would have gone into some endless rant about how through hard work and determination, anything is possible. I would have used my dad as an example: a lowly orphan who worked his way into becoming the Hokage. _

_I remember Kenta saying once before, "It is your fate to die so that I can live. It is your fate to be hated because of your naivety. If it had been me, I would have never done what you did. Who cares if we are family? Who cares if we were brothers? If I had to choose between my life and yours, I would choose mine every time. That is why you're going to die; because you made yourself weak by trying to protect me. You were born an idiot and you will die because of your idiocy." _

_His words had really hit home. Before that long rant, I never truly believed that he would kill me. _

_And now, upon my death, if you were to ask me the same question, what would my answer be? _

_It would be...the same. I don't care if some beings up above planed out my whole life for me. I don't care if every unpredictable action I did was also a part of the plan. I just don't care. Maybe it's the stubborn Uzumaki blood in me. All I care about is what I believe. And for now, even in death, I believe that I shape my own future. _

_So who cares if we are mere actors acting out our scripted lives? I sure don't._

* * *

-Konoha-

Namikaze Kenta POV

It was finally over. He was dead. There's no one that can stand in the way of my happiness now.

I stared at the body lying on the floor. The head was completely cut off and numerous stab wounds could be seen all around the body. An arm had been cut. No, it had been hacked off by a Shinobi who's only relative had been trampled by the Kyuubi's paw. I guess he thought it fitting. It was by no means a clean kill; fitting for _trash_. Though, it is a shame that he died almost instantly without feeling any pain.

But still, the body had to be cleaned and repaired. Not out of respect for the dead, of course; but more for the benefit of the public. After all, they would love to get a chance to hurt the Demon as well. How would they be satisfied if the body was already almost destroyed?

"**As expected of my host. To kill your own brother; truly the work of a monster."** the Kyuubi's voice rang in my head. The voice exuded power and malice, not a good combination. The fox's sudden words didn't surprise me. After all, I had 5 years to get used to it randomly talking. I remember it always laughing at my reactions, especially when I was in public.

'I'm not a monster!' I thought back doing my best to keep my stoic face as to not arouse suspicion in the people around me. If that _trash_ was right about one thing, it's that these sheep would turn on me in a heartbeat the second they find a good reason to. 'Go back to sleep, you stupid furball.'

"**You dare insult me? You pitiful human, know your place!"** the biju roared in my head, causing me a small amount of pain.** "And how are you not a monster, kin-slayer? You may not have dealt the actual killing blow, but you were the one who ordered it. Even to us demons, kin is important. To actually kill your brother; I ask you again, how are you not a monster?" **

'He wasn't my brother! He was a mon-' I started but didn't finish. Kyuubi's thunderous laughter rang in my head.

"**A monster? Was that what you were going to say? Have you preached the lie so many times that even you believe it now? You and I both know that he wasn't a monster." **the beast laughed out.

'Why do you even care? Just weeks before, you were chanting for his death as well; saying how once he died, all his power would come to me! Now, what are you doing? Trying to make me feel guilty? Aren't you supposed to be on my side?' I bit back.

The fox's laughter abruptly stopped. **"I will never take the side of a human, container or not. Remember that, flesh bag. You don't control me and you barely even control my power. I was merely using this for entertainment. It gets rather boring in this dull head of yours."**

I could picture the best sneering at me as it ranted. I hated it when it did that; treating me as if I were some inferior being! Even though he's in MY body and can't do anything without MY permission!

"**And of course I would chant for his death! I'm a being of malice and destruction! What self-respecting demon wouldn't want to bring death? As for my power, of course it wouldn't go to you. What made you even think that?" **It continued, oblivious to what I was thinking.

I blinked at that. What? 'You told me! Back when you first started to talk to me. You told me that he was keeping me from getting stronger!'

"**Did I now? How do you even know what I was talking about? For all you know, I could have just been talking about him eating more food than you. After all, you need nutrients to get stronger. I never even remotely mentioned anything about killing your brother to make you stronger. You just got to that conclusion on your own. You will never get anymore of what's mine!"** the beast smugly replied.

I knew it was enjoying this, but it was right. Now that I thought back, it never outright said anything like that. But it didn't matter anymore. What's done is done. 'So what if I don't get the rest of your power? I'm the freaking Hokage! I have Shinobi to do things for me!'

The fox snorted at this. **"What can you Shinobi do to another Biju? I'll tell you what: nothing. The moment they see a Biju, they'll turn around and run right back to you. They'll demand that you save them and you would have no choice but comply."** It was savoring this moment, enjoying the inner turmoil that it was creating.** "Then when you stand in front of the Biju, what do you think 2 measly tails of my chakra that you can barely control do? Nothing! Your people will expect 7 tails and you'll give them only 2. If you even live after the attack, your villagers would kill you themselves."**

'Mind your own business!' I snarled back in my mind. I didn't need this sh*t right now. There were still lots to do before we give the public his body. Turning to a random Shinobi I ordered, "Get someone to patch up the body. I want it near perfect condition before we present it to the village; and make sure the head is back on too. "

The Shinobi looked confused, clearly not wanting to do the job. "Why do we have to fix up the Demon?"

"Is it you place to question your Hokage?" I asked, daring him to answer wrongly. How hard was it to just follow orders?

"No, sir. My apologies, I'll get right on it." the man stuttered out before saluting me.

* * *

Namikaze Naruto POV

I stared emotionlessly at the scene before me. It didn't surprise me at all. Heck, I even called it. After all, these people were so simple minded that their intentions were pretty obvious.

Parade the body of the dead Demon around the village. Have a gigantic party to celebrate its death. Let the people who had lost loved ones during the Kyuubi attack desecrate the body to make their peace. Then, burn it in front of everybody and dump the ashes in a trashcan.

What better way to unite the village? I think even people who didn't approve of my brother becoming the Hokage would love him at this point.

Well, at least they fixed my body.

I heard the crowd roar in approval. I think the only way things could have been better would be if I were executed publically. Why wasn't I? There must have been a good reason, but right now it matters not.

Even though I didn't want it to, it still bothered me that I wouldn't be buried with dad. Why wouldn't it? He was my hero; the person I wanted to emulate when I grew up. He almost single handedly ended an entire war and had the highest bounty in almost every village's Bingo Book. I remembered all the times he would spend time with just me. Sure he probably did it with Kenta too, but it was still special.

Dad.

Namikaze Minato, also known as the Yondaime Hokage and Konoha's Yellow Flash, was the hero of the last Shinobi War and many expected him to live forever. His very being gave off a feeling of warmth and protection. For such a man to die of illness was unthinkable. And yet that's exactly what happened. He died of an illness not even Tsunade of the Sanin, the legendary medic, could cure. The only reasonable cause that anyone could find was because of the technique that made him famous, the _Hiraishin no Jutsu._ Space and time just shouldn't be messed with. Maybe if he hadn't used the technique so often, he wouldn't have gotten sick. His parting words still ring in my head, even in death.

Learn to love this magnificent village as much as I do, he said. Remember, the village is family and family is to be protected, he said. If you continue to be kind to everyone, some day they will respect you just like they do me, he said.

Well dad, I can honestly say that will never happen. It might've if things were done differently. But, as of now, I could say that the probability of them ever respecting me is a big fat zero.

But I had other things to worry about besides that. About 12 hours have passed since my death and I've learned many things. The most important being that I was in fact a ghost, complete with an ability to float and my invisible nature. That had been a shocking discovery.

When I first opened my eyes, I was honestly confused. It was unexpected.

The first thing I saw was actually myself. It took me a moment to even register the fact that I was looking at my own body and not a reflection. Staring at my lifeless corpse really brought a sense of detachment to me. I didn't know why. It was like I just suddenly didn't care anymore; like everything died when I did. I wasn't obligated to take care of the village anymore. I didn't feel compelled to protect my family anymore. Hell, I didn't even lament the fact that I never made it pass Genin.

But the main question was, why am I still here? According to legends, people became ghosts when they have strong emotions that anchor them to this world. Love that makes you want to watch over your precious people. Hate that makes you want to curse your betrayers. Or even fear that makes you afraid to move on.

Which one described me?

The chain that seemed to protrude from my chest was also a mystery. For some strange reason, the chain was getting shorter and shorter. When I woke up, I had to wrap the thing around my neck so that I could walk. But it seemed like every few minutes, the end of the chain would just spontaneously grow a couple of mouths and eat itself: one link at a time. If it hadn't totally freaked me out, I would have been fascinated by the process. Where did the mouths go after? What would happen when the mouths ran out of chain to eat?

As the hours passed, the mouths came out more frequently. At first, I felt nothing but a tingle as they eroded a link. However as my chain gradually diminished, I started to feel pain. It was little at first; maybe as bad as a needle prick. Then it grew, from needle prick to a punch in the face. From a broken bone to being stabbed. Right now, I felt like acid was being poured onto my skin while my organs where trying to self-combust and my bones were being ground into dust.

In short, I felt like sh*t. I would rather die again than remain a ghost if it means I have to go through this.

Throughout all this I didn't scream, at least not out loud. Mine were silent as I clenched my teeth. It wasn't like I thought screaming was a sign of weakness. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. But to me, screaming is only worth something if someone could hear you. And after spending all that time trying to find other ghosts and trying to get the living to see me, it was obvious that no one would hear me. So I didn't scream.

As the third to last link of my chain disappeared, I couldn't help but feel that I was going to die again. What was the point of making me a ghost if I was just going to die again not even a day later? I don't get how that works.

They say that when people are about to die, their whole life flashed before them. Well, maybe not their whole life. More like important parts of it since you don't have the time to see everything, even if it's fast-forwarded. I didn't when I died the first time. Was it because my eyes were closed? Now that I'm dying again, will it happen to me? But I've been alive as a ghost for all of 12 hours. There's really nothing much to see.

Oh well, there goes the last link and here comes the darkness. I closed my eyes…

* * *

-Unknown Place-

And I opened my eyes once again. Okay, this was getting old. How many times do I have to die for me to be able to finally sleep in peace? I sat up and looked around me, trying to find out where I was. Everything was dark, save for where I was sitting. The weird thing was I couldn't find a source for the light. It was like the light was just there. No candles and no light bulbs, it was just there floating in front of me.

I looked down at my body and was surprised to find that I didn't have anything on. Nothing. Just me and my birthday suit. I sighed. Could things get any weirder? At least this place wasn't cold...

I got up and tried to explore the place. To my astonishment, the light started to follow me around as I moved. After a few minutes of just walking straight, I hit a split hallway and decided to turn left. But the light didn't follow. Instead, it just stayed at the same spot. When I went back and turned right instead, it started to move again.

It must be leading me somewhere. But to where? Or, the most probable case, to who?

Aside from myself, there were no living things in the hallways. At least, I didn't think there were. The orb of light led me to a set of ornate doors after a good half an hour of walking. Judging by the enormous size and the intricate decorations, there must be someone or something important behind the doors. I steeled myself and gave the doors a strong push.

The light didn't follow me as I stepped inside. There was no need since the room was so bright, no bright wasn't exactly the right word. The room was white, with absolutely nothing inside. No furniture, no people, nothing. The floor, ceilings and walls were all completely white.

The door closed abruptly and I spun around in panic. The door had completely vanished! There were no traces of it at all. No hinges, no outline, and no doorknob. The spot where the door should have been was just as white and bare as every other spot in the room.

My eyes widened as I realized what this meant. I was trapped! There was no exit; there was no place to escape. Why the hell did I follow that stupid light! Everyone always said don't go towards the light! But noooooo, I just had to follow it!

Since I was too busy beating myself up, I didn't notice that the white walls had started to change. All of a sudden, it was as if I were watching a movie with no sounds. The walls were the screens, but there were no projectors. But it wasn't that fact that had me so enraptured by what was playing. No, what had me so focused was the fact that I knew the scene that was currently being played. How could I not?

It was the day dad died. Only I was in the room at the time because he wanted to speak to his heir alone. He wanted to tell me something important.

I watched the younger me hold my dying dad's hand. Even without the sounds, I knew exactly what the two people were saying. After all, that moment was burned into my brain. I watched myself promising to my dad that I would protect my family and village for as long as I lived.

Then the scene started to change; first to show me protecting Kenta from some angry villagers. I noticed for the first time, the look of contempt on my little brother's face. I knew he hated me when I saw him on the day I died, but I never knew until now when the hate started.

I watched him pretend to be me while I took on his burden and not once did he try and help me. I watched him stand in the sidelines with a satisfied face as a mob beat me half to death. I watched my mom hit me for trying to tell the truth. I watched her turn a blind eye to my suffering. I watched Kenta be personally trained by the village's best Shinobi, including our mom. I watched as he framed me for things that I obviously didn't do. I watched as my family watched my die, never shedding a single tear.

I watched all the unfairness in my life and with each passing scene, my anger grew. I was so angry! Angry at the village for not believing in dad's sealing techniques. Angry at my mom for abandoning me. Angry at my brother for killing me. And, angry at my dad for dying on us and letting this all happen to me even though I knew it was irrational.

And now, I only wanted one thing. Revenge. I wanted to beat the living crap out Kenta and show the whole village who really had 7 tails of Biju chakra sealed into him. I wanted to see the villagers realize their mistake and beg me to come back only to have me reject them. I wanted to see the horror on my mom's face when she realized that I was telling the truth the whole time. I wanted to raze the village.

My whole body began to contort in pain as my anger continued to grow. I felt my body morphing and something start to come out of my face. I felt even worse than when I died the second time, something that I didn't think possible. My body started to glow red as some of the Kyuubi's chakra started to leak out. As the intense red aura started to burn my skin, I watched as some white material seep out and cover my wounds. The anger in me was at its peak and other emotions were joining in. Sadness. Disgust. Envy. And above all, hunger. For what? I didn't know yet.

Just as I felt my whole being was about to burst, I heard something in the back of my mind. It was a voice that was so familiar, but I couldn't quite place it. Who was it? What was it trying to tell me? A memory started to play in my head and despite all the pain I was in, it had my undivided attention.

**_"What will you do, young Namikaze? Will you hate , or will you forgive? Pick wisely, for to choose one is to forsake the other..."_**

* * *

_**Flashback Start**_

_A young Naruto was lying on the grass, staring at the clouds. Beside him, also lying on his back, was the Yondaime Hokage himself. Both were enjoying the peace and quiet until the older of the two asked his son a question._

"_Hey Naruto?" the man asked as he turned his head to face his son._

"_Yeah?" the boy responded, curious as to what his father wanted._

"_Do you know why being the Hokage is hard?"_

_Naruto tilted his head slightly to the side and furrowed his brows in thought. "Because of paperwork?" he answered._

_Minato sweat dropped at the answer. 'I should stop complaining about paperwork at home…' He ruffled his son's hair and smiled back. "Not quite."_

_There was a moment of silence before Naruto became impatient. "So, are you gonna tell me then?" _

"_Hmm? Are you sure you want to know?" the man teased. "Maybe you're still too young…"_

"_Dad! You're the one who asked! Just tell me." the boy said as he pouted. _

_Minato barked out a laugh at his son's impatience. "Alright, alright." His face became serious as he said the next part. "The hardest part about being Hokage is knowing that you can't satisfy everyone. In every decision you make, someone will always end up with the short straw. If I choose to give the Academy more funds, other departments will have less money. If I choose to go to war, my Shinobi will die and the citizens will be taxed more to help fund the war effort. Do you understand?"_

"_I think so." Naruto replied hesitantly._

"_Now, what do you think happens when you can't satisfy everyone?" the Yondaime asked his son next._

"_Um, they get angry and complain?" _

"_That's right. You might think that everyone loves and respects the Hokage, but that's not entirely true. Every day, the Tower receives countless complaints from unsatisfied citizens. They become angry when we inform them that there's nothing we can do to help them. And when people get angry, they become irrational and do stupid things; and sometimes, those stupid things can make you angry. As a leader, we have to 'be the better man.' If they insult you from time to time, you turn a blind eye. If they shout at you, you politely listen. If they attack you, you show them the error of their ways." Minato explained carefully. _

_"Why would you do that, dad? Why don't you just beat them up or throw them in jail if they insult you like that?" the boy asked confused. _

_The older man shook his head, "I am the Hokage, Naruto. I'm the most powerful person in this village and because of that, people will fear me and my power. If I hurt every villager that angers me, then I won't have any villagers left! What kind of leader has no one to lead? Also remember, you should never live a life full of anger. Anger clouds your judgement and eventually you'll end up making fatal mistakes. Remember that for when you become the Clan Head."_

_**Flashback End**_

* * *

You should never live a life full of anger.

With a mighty roar I ripped the white mask, which was almost done forming on my face, off. I focused on all my happy feelings and denied my negative emotions any place in my mind. My skin began to reabsorb the white substance that was surrounding my body.

I panted heavily and my whole body was covered in sweat. I started to feel a burning sensation on my right arm and I cursed. What could be going wrong now? I looked at it and my eyes widened at the tattoo that just finished forming. What an interesting picture.

**"Interesting. To choose neither, yet choose both at the same time. A perfect hybrid? You have exceeded my expectations, Namikaze Naruto." **a voice suddenly said.

I snapped my head towards the direction of the voice and openly gaped. What the hell is that?


	3. Chapter 3

AN: New chapter is up. As always, your reviews and opinions are appreciated. Only 2 chapter in and already 50 reviews? You guys are awesome. Here's my goal - 100 reviews by chapter 5. For some reason, I won't feel accomplished until I have 100...must be a magic number.

AN2: I had someone tell me a interesting thing. Apparently, the words 'pretence' and 'pretense' mean the same except that one is used in the U.S. and the other is used in Britain. Don't know why I'm using 'pretence' even though I'm American...

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Naruto or Bleach worlds except my own creations.

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

_Jutsu/Kido attacks_

**"Zanpakuto/Hollow/Biju speaking"**

**'Zanpakuto/Hollow/Biju thinking'**

**"Soul King talking"**

**'Soul King thinking'**

* * *

_Have you ever wondered what about the difference between good and evil? Are all people who kill evil? Are all people who save good? Or, is it all about perspective? _

_What would you call a person who slaughtered hundreds to save thousands? A hero or a monster? A savior or a murderer? Good or evil? _

_Isn't it weird, the way the world works? Both could kill hundreds of people, yet one is praised and the other is condemned. _

_Is that where perspective comes in? Your hero, the one who saved your life by killing a person, could be my demon, the one who slaughtered my kin._

_I never cared whether the villagers considered me good or evil. I mean, why should I? I didn't know them and therefore, I didn't care about their opinions. _

_But family, now that was different. I lived with them, ate with them, and loved them. I've known them since I took my first breath in this world. They say you don't have to like your family, but you will always love them deep down inside; that no matter what you or they do, family was still family. Maybe that's why I never thought that my family would betray me like that. Not until the deed was done. _

_But the point is that I never did anything to be considered evil. In this world of Shinobi and Samurai, nothing short of unprovoked genocide could be considered evil. After all, when the very livelihood of Shinobi relied on missions that often resulted in deaths, one could say that the world had become desensitized. A death here, a murder there. All in a day's work for a Shinobi. _

_My Shinobi life wasn't that great. I had a lazy teacher and useless teammates. We never trained and only took a D-rank mission once every 2 weeks. My mother refused to continue my education in the family style and denied my right to read our clan scrolls. _

_Everywhere I turned, people clamored to stunt my growth. Yet, I persevered until the very end. _

_So, am I evil because I never took a life? Am I evil because I risked my own well-being to help my brother? Am I evil because I never fought back? Am I evil because I keep the Kyuubi's chakra at bay? According to these villagers, I am._

_If that's the case, than would doing the opposite have made me good? If I had killed hundreds, ignored my brother's well-being, fought back, and turn the Kyuubi's chakra on Konoha. If I did all that, would I have been considered as good?_

_Well, I guess it's too late to find out. Though, something tells me that my life would've been the same no matter what I did._

* * *

_**"Interesting. To choose neither, yet choose both at the same time. A perfect hybrid? You have exceeded my expectations, Namikaze Naruto."**__a voice suddenly said._

_I snapped my head towards the direction of the voice and openly gaped. What the hell is that?_

**"Close your mouth, boy. Didn't you know that it's rude to stare?"** the being said in a voice that was a perfect blend between female and male. It was hard to tell, but the voice sounded more amused than anything.

I made no move to correct my posture. After all, it was the only way I could express myself after seeing something like this. The past few minutes of pain and my newly formed tattoo were all but forgotten at this point. But who could blame me? The being in front of me was indescribable. Literally. It was like I couldn't comprehend what I was seeing; like it just didn't register into my brain. I knew for a fact that if I closed my eyes right now, I would not be able to picture what the being looked like.

**"This is no longer amusing, boy. Now close your mouth and follow me. We have things to talk about." **With that, the being turned around and floated towards a door.

Wait.

When the hell did that get there? I could've sworn that there was no door a minute ago. But then again, I never noticed this…what would I call it? Her? Him? Gender issues aside, to call it a creature or thing seemed insulting. If anything, it gave off a divine feeling despite its appearance. Whatever it was, I knew that it would be best not to piss it off.

I followed the entity out the room, closing my eyes as a sudden wave of dizziness hit me. After blinking away the feeling, I examined the new room I was in. I gasped when I noticed that it looked like the very room where my life had ended over a day ago. It was exactly the same, from the ornate throne like chair in the middle of the room to the flickering lanterns lining the walls.

I saw a red stain on the floor in front of the chair and I knew immediately that it was made from my blood. I looked around the room half expecting to see Shinobi lined up like during my execution and involuntarily let out a sigh when I noticed that there was no one there.

A part of me resented this room, linking it to my demise, even if I've accepted my death. Who wouldn't hate the room that they died in?

"**Look familiar to you?**" the being said. It was sitting on the only chair in the room, the place where my brother sat before, and I use the term brother loosely.

My face twisted into a scowl. "What are you playing at? Showing me this room, is it supposed to mean something?" I growled out.

"**Of course it means something.**" the being replied, not at all affected by my tone. Suddenly, the being disappeared from my sight and it was a breeze of wind that alerted me to the fact that it had moved to my right. "**What do you see?**" It gestured towards the room using a black sleeved hand.

I twitched slightly at the question. "Why ask me something like that? You've got eyes, haven't you? I see what you see. You don't need me to tell you."

"**Ah, but that's not entirely true. What everyone sees in this room is different because this room is unique. It shows your deepest regret, something that you would give anything to change. I, for one, see nothing because I regret nothing. So tell me boy, what do you see?**"

My deepest regret, huh? Did I regret dying that day? Not really. After all, I really had nothing to live for. If I had lived, what would be waiting for me in Konoha? Constant beatings and insults from the citizens? Being ignored and pushed aside by my family? Being rejected and shunned by my peers? No, I regret nothing that day. "I see the room where I died….no, I see the room where I was murdered by my brother; the room where I was unjustly condemned. But that doesn't make sense! Maybe the room is broken or something? I could easily think of dozens of other things that I regret more than my death."

The being turned to look into my eyes, which sent a chill down my spine. **"Then, perhaps that isn't your deepest regret. But, I can assure you that the room is working perfectly fine.**"

I was really getting annoyed at this point. "Didn't you just say that this room shows my deepest regret? You're not making any sense right now!" I almost shouted. Almost being the key here. I didn't have a death wish yet… although I wondered if that was the right term since I died already.

"**More than your death happened that day, didn't it? Think carefully because the answer you seek may lie there.**"

More than my death? I frowned in thought but still couldn't think of anything. When I voiced this, the being gave me what I assumed was a disappointed look. It was really had to tell, though.

"**That is alright, I suppose. I had hoped that you would be able to figure it out now, but it matters not. But, don't stop looking for the answer because you must know your deepest regret and overcome it in order to be your strongest.**"

I mentally scoffed at this. It sounded like one of those sappy hero stories I've heard about. You know the ones right? Where the hero's family is murdered and he sets out for revenge, only to change his mind when he's so close and declare that love conquers all or some crud like that.

Overcome my regret? Was it telling me to forgive and forget? Not going to happen, I can guarantee that. I might not dream of revenge every night, but I still wasn't going to forgive them. Definitely never going to forget either.

"**That tattoo you have there, do you know what it's for?**" The change of subject was not unwelcomed.

"Hmm? Not a clue, but it is an interesting design." I examined the tattoo more closely. It was somewhat interesting, I guess. I remembered the pain in arm earlier when that white stuff that was surrounding me suddenly started to recede. Was this tattoo the result?

The tattoo itself was pretty simple: a paw print. Though, it was definitely not a dog's. I'd seen enough of them to recognize a dog print after having to clean the Inuzuka's dog kettle so many times. If I had to guess, I would say it was a fox's print. It was more of a gut feeling since there were no foxes in Konoha and I had never set foot outside the village. It seemed like after the Kyuubi attack, foxes were all but eradicated everywhere within a 100 miles of the village. Yup, they just hated them that much.

Anyways, back to the tattoo. It was black, but not filled in. The heel, each individual toe and each individual nail were outlined in a tribal look. It looked cool overall, but did it have some sort of function?

The being started to speak, drawing my attention away from the tattoo. "**It is the result of your perseverance, of your ability to fight back. It is the result of your win against the Kyuubi's chakra, which naturally would have urged you to become a Hollow due to its destructive nature, and your negative emotions from being betrayed.**"

I looked back down at my inked arm. This was the result of my perseverance? This was the result of my conquest over the Kyuubi's chakra? That really bumped up the awesome factor of this tattoo. Not to mention the design suited the situation well. Upon closer inspection, I could feel some kind of power permeating from it. But, no matter how I tried, I couldn't access the power; as if some sort of thin veil prevented me from reaching it. "Does this, uh, do anything?"

The room instantly chilled and I could hear my breath hitch. It felt like all of the happiness was sucked out of the whole room. My naked body certainly wasn't doing me any favors. In front of me, the being started to radiate power that made my body numb. It was definitely more powerful than the Kyuubi and possibly stronger that all the Bijuu combined. "**Is the knowledge that you have overcome something that few could ever hope to do not enough for you, boy?**" Even though the voice neither rose in volume nor changed in pitch, I could instantly tell that the being was angry.

"Was I wrong to ask?" I asked back instead, trying with all my might to ignore my uneasiness. A part of me wanted to bash my head in for saying something like that instead of begging for forgiveness. Instead, the more authority defying part took control of my body. I really hoped I didn't make this entity that was obviously more powerful than me madder.

Suddenly, the being in front of me let out a deep chuckle. Did I say something amusing? "**No, not at all.**" The coldness in the room instantly lifted and I sighed in relief. "**As I thought, you are definitely interesting. Few could have withstood my power and not pass out. Fewer could have found the ability to speak after feeling my power. And even fewer still would have answered like you did.**" I felt a chill on my arm and watch in disbelief as it raised by itself. "**To answer your question, yes the tattoo does something. What if does? Well, I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise, now would I? All I will say is that it will save your life one day.**"

My face adopted an incredulous look. "Save my life? I'm dead, aren't I? If you ask me, it's kind of late for a life-saving tattoo, isn't it?"

"**Which brings us to our next point of business.**" The conversation turned serious once more, though I could argue that with a being like that, the conversation was always serious. "**How would you like the chance to live again? How would you like the chance to make new friends? To have a new family? To do everything that you couldn't do before?**"

"What's the point? Why would I go back to a place that would murder an innocent?" My reply was swift because I had sort of anticipated something like this. Why else would I appear before some god-like being?

"**Who said anything about going back to Konoha? No, the place where you will be reborn is different. Whether your time there is enjoyable or not depends on you and you alone.**"

My eyes widened in shock. Not Konoha? That meant a chance to really start a new life. I would be going somewhere that wasn't already biased towards me. Somewhere that my _brother_ had no influence in. But, I knew. Nothing is ever free. I learned that long ago. "What's the catch? Why would you give me a new life?"

"**Well, aren't you the shrewd one? There is a saying 'Never look a gift horse in the mouth.**"

"There's also the saying that 'Nothing in life comes without sacrifice.' You aren't obligated to give me what I want or deserve. So, what's the real reason?" I shot back, clearly not buying his act.

The being stepped, or floated if you wanted to be technical, back and snapped his fingers. A chair made of oddly shaped skeletons and masks appeared and he gracefully sat on it. "**What do you think I am, boy?**"

I noticed that the being had said 'what' and not 'who.' Maybe who was merely a word to describe mortals? But indeed, what was this entity that now sat in front of me? "A god, perhaps?"

"**That much should be obvious by now. What else, but a god, could ever hope to give life? No, what I'm asking is, what do you think my role is?**"

My eyes roamed the chair and I added up all the facts that I knew. The skeletons on the chair. The somewhat familiar energy I felt. The black-themed clothing. The fact that I came here after I died. I took a tentative guess. "Are you the Shinigami?" It was either that or the god Jashin. I ruled that out since I hadn't been force to perform any weird rituals yet.

"**Hmm, that is indeed what your people call me. But, my real title is the Soul King and as my name implies, I am king of all souls. Be they dead or alive, all fall under my rule. Yet although I am all powerful, I myself am not free from my own set of rules. Rules that, although I have created, prevent me from interfering with the mortal worlds more than 6 times a millennium.**"

I raised my eyebrows after hearing the Soul King's words. That was oddly specific. "So, what does that have to do with me?"

"**Everything. Who do you think sealed the Kyuubi into you and your twin? Because of that, my 6 times are up for another 487 years. Therefore, it is up to you to help me.**"

I held my tongue as the Soul King finished. It wasn't like I asked for the Kyuubi's chakra to be sealed in me. "Wouldn't it be more logical to get Kenta to do whatever it is you want done. He's the one with the Kyuubi's soul."

The Soul King propped his right elbow on the armrest of the chair and rested his head on his palm. "**You want me to ask Kenta, the lying twin who murdered his own brother, as opposed to you, the twin who shouldered a burden to protect your ungrateful kin?**" The way he phrased the question made me feel incompetent; as if the choice was so obvious that I shouldn't have even asked the question. "**Besides, what I want can't wait. Isn't it mighty convenient that you were the one to die first?**"

There was no point in arguing anymore. This was a god for Kami's sake. What a god wanted, a god would get and this god wanted me to be reborn in a new world. Well, it's not like I had anything better to do except maybe go to heaven. But, this Soul King looked vengeful enough to spite me if I didn't agree to his plan and that would ruin my afterlife for sure. "Alright, I'll do it...what was it you wanted me to do?"

"**To restore the balance that is about to be destroyed.**"

"Huh?" That sounded like a lot of work. Damn, too late to change my mind.

"**You will know what I mean when the time is right. Until then, live your life the way you want, just don't slack off.**" Was this guy for real? Whenever something important came up, I never got an answer. Whether it was the thing about my deepest regret, the function of my tattoo, or this. It's always 'You'll find out later.'

"So, this place you're sending me to…what's it like?"

I stiffened as the Soul King got up and glided towards me. He lifted up his left hand and stuck out a finger. His boney finger slowly inched forward and approached my forehead. "**This will hurt.**"

I barely registered his brief statement before I felt something poke my head and a world of pain entered my brain. It was as if tons of information was being shoved into my mind at a rapid pace, kind of like using too many Shadow Clones and dispelling them all at once. "Crap."

I didn't know how long it took for me to think clearly, but I was positive that I would have this headache for at least another hour or two. Words jumbled into my brain: things like 'Seireitei' and 'Reiatsu.'

"Aw man, my head hurts. Give a guy some warning next time, will you?" I murmured as I rubbed my temples. "This reiatsu thing seems interesting. I can't wait to see how it'll affect my chakra."

The Soul King let out an amused laugh. "**Chakra? What chakra, boy? You are dead! Chakra is the energy of the living, what use will it have for you? Where you will go, you will remain a spirit.**"

I jumped up in rage, ignoring my now worsening headache. "What?! You want to take it away? All the power I've trained for and earned through my sweat and blood, you'll just take that from me?"

"**Yes. You've got a new power and all the time in the world to figure it out. Having your chakra would only hinder your development. It is what it is. Just accept it.**"

Just accept it? Accept losing all my power? Accept becoming weak and powerless once again? Fine, if that's the way he wants it. I'll learn this reiatsu thing and become stronger. Then, when I'm done with whatever it was he wanted done, I'll come back and kick him in the face. Well, a guy could dream, right?

The headache I felt before was steadily increasing. Every second was like a hammer strike to the head. "I got it." I said, too in pain to argue anymore. "How will I even get there anyway?"

My ears started to ring and my eyes began to involuntarily close. I felt myself lose my balance and fall to the ground. "**Time works in mysterious ways, boy**." That was the last thing I heard before I completely blacked out, which was lucky. If I had been awake, I would have freaked out at what the Soul King had to do to get me to my destination.

* * *

**3rd Person POV**

The Soul King waited until the boy had disappeared before standing up and pulling off his cloak. He donned a less imposing set of clothes before teleporting to his throne room. One snap of his fingers brought forth a gigantic flat screen TV. Another snap brought forth some refreshments.

He had given the boy a new chance to live and given himself a new form of amusement. Definitely two birds with one stone. The boy was full of surprises. He had thought that he would have to give the boy some power to help in his ventures in Seireitei. But, the boy had plenty of his own and needed no help besides some information. The Soul King relaxed into hi chair. Yes, he enjoyed it way more when he barely had to do anything.

He mentally patted himself on the back for the nice acting that he just did. As if the Soul King would actually need the help of some mortal! Pfft, yeah right.

But, this would serve as entertainment for a long time. Would the boy figure out just why 'time works in mysterious ways?' Well, only time would tell and the Soul King had nothing but time.

* * *

**1st Person POV**

I woke up to something poking my face which was definitely not my favorite wake up call. I kept my eyes closed and tried my best to remember my situation. My Shinobi training took over and I kept still so that I wouldn't give away that I was awake.

I groaned when I realized that whoever was poking me wouldn't stop until I got up. So, with reluctance, I slowly opened my eyes. I noticed someone looking straight at me, but the blinding sun shining directly behind said person prevented me from making out any distinct features. I didn't even know if it was a guy or girl. "What?"

"Yer awake." the person said in an unmistakable male voice.

That was a 'no duh' statement if I ever heard one. Was it the fact that I opened my eyes that clued him in? Or was it the fact that I spoke? Man, I'm really grumpy when I just wake up.

I slowly sat up, noticing that my muscles were kind of sore. Why? I had no idea. The stranger seemed to be waiting for me to say something but I kept silent. It wasn't like he asked me anything so I felt that there was no reason for me to talk. This was practically Capture and Interrogation Training 101. Granted, I wasn't really being interrogated, but you could never be too careful. I didn't want my groggy state to cause me to give away too much about myself that could be used against me later on.

"That's some interestin' clothes ya got there." he said with a smile, clearly trying to keep getting me to respond. "Are ya from another district or somethin'?"

I looked down to see what he was talking about. The last I remembered, I was stark naked before the Soul King. Before that, I was wearing rags since even prisoner garbs were too good for me. I smiled when I saw what I had on. It was my old Shinobi outfit. The outfit that I only ever wore in secret; not the atrocious orange one that I always had on in public.

The only thing missing was my hitai-ate, but to tell the truth, I wasn't really missing it. Why would I? It was supposed to be the thing that symbolized a Shinobi's loyalty to his village. I would need my brain checked if I was still loyal to the village after everything that happened to me!

"So, are ya gonna say somethin'? Ya aren't mute, are ya?" the stranger asked after he noticed I was done examining my clothes. I took my first good look at him and noted that he looked around my age. But that didn't really tell me anything since apparently, souls aged differently here according to the small amount of information the Soul King transferred to me.

I sent a light glare his way and decided to break my silence. "Where am I?"

"Ya got a name, blondie?"

I paused a moment in thought which caused the teen to narrow his eyes in suspicion. After all, what kind of person didn't know his own name? But, I was honestly conflicted on what to give my name as. Naruto was obvious, but what was my surname? Uzumaki, the name I was executed under? Namikaze, the name I was born under? Or, should I go with none?

Then, I remembered that I was my father's son. He named me and I would be damned if I let anyone take away that right away. After all, he was the only one who didn't betray me in the end. "Naruto." I drawled as I stuck out my hand for a handshake, "Namikaze Naruto, nice to meet you."

The teen smirked before taking my hand into his. "Well, Naruto Namikaze Naruto," he started as I rolled my eyes at his attempt at a joke, "The name's Sho, short for Kisho, but don't call me that. Ever."

I raised my eyebrow at that but didn't comment on his lack of a last name or his obvious distaste for his first name. "Well, now that introductions are done, you going to tell me where the hell I am?"

"Well, someone's impatient. I can't properly introduce ya ta yer new home with ya on the floor like that. Here." He unexpectedly stuck his hand in front of me, as if to give a handshake. Obviously, he wanted to help me up. It was a normal gesture. Something friends, hell even strangers, would do for someone on the floor. A friendly gesture.

Problem was, this was also a trusting gesture. And, I wasn't really the trusting sort anymore. It may seem weird or even distasteful of me to be so untrusting of such a kind move. But, I had to look out for number one: me.

Most people wouldn't see anything possibly dangerous about taking the hand. I wasn't most people. I would see a chance to take advantage of a moment when I'm unstable. It would be too easy to attack during my flash of weakness. So, instead of taking the hand, I put my palms on the ground and pushed myself up.

Undeterred by my somewhat rude response, Sho swiftly withdrew his hand. With my newly gained height, I was able to see more of the place I had been transported to. The buildings were old and barely habitable. They kind of reminded me of the old clan estates back in Konoha: the style, not the quality. There were a few people loitering around, but all of them stayed clear of the area we were in. Strange.

A cough brought my attention back to Sho. "So, like I was sayin'." He started as he brought his arm in a welcoming gesture, "Welcome ta South Rokungai District 77, otherwise known as Seiten*, where the only thing ya can ever count on is the sky stayin' clear. They say the day it rains in Seiten is the day the Hollows destroy the Rokungai, the day Seireitei falls, and the day the world ends." The massive grin on his face did little to convince me of the validity of the statement.

I sweatdropped a little at the introduction. "Rain? Didn't know that it rained in the afterlife; I thought everything was supposed to be perfect?"

Sho looked at me with a confused expression. "How else are we supposed ta get water ta drink and use? Did ya think that the food would magically appear? Besides, I love the rain because it washes away all the impurities and undesirables." He finished his words with an oddly solemn tone that didn't suit his personality.

"That makes no sense! How can it rain in the Districts right next to us and not here? Don't we all share the same sky?" I still didn't understand how this worked.

He gave an uncaring shrug. "Dunno. But, it's always been like this and I'm guessin' it always will be. Too bad, though. What I wouldn't give ta feel some rain."

The longing look on his face definitely had a story to it. I was curious, but it wasn't my place to ask a stranger to give his lie story. I certainly wasn't going to pour out my story to him. "If you love the rain so much, why don't you go somewhere that rains?"

"Cuz I'm too attached ta this place ta move. Friends and stuff, ya know? Besides, we're surrounded by Districts 75, 76, 78, 79, and 80: the worst of the lawless zones. It would be suicide for someone like me ta go there. The only reason Seiten remains safe is cuz of the superstitions and cuz of Master's efforts. That and since there's no rain, Seiten is actually the least inhabitable of all the Districts. You are literally at the bottom of the pit." The Master part made me interested. Superstition can only do so much to stave off criminals, after all. "And, I don't deserve to be purified." he murmured so softly that I would've missed it if not for the wind blowing his voice towards me. No doubt, he hadn't planned on me hearing that last part.

I knew a little about the Districts thanks to the information transfer, but not much. Of what I did learn, these lawless zones were not a part of. Though, I could pretty much guess what it is by the name, I still needed more information. "What do you mean by lawless zones?"

"Hmm, so yer not from Rokungai then? Since you don't know about the lawless zones, yer probably a recently Konso'd soul." He looked at me for confirmation before continuing "Well, I guess ya could call these Districts the places that the Shinigami forsake. From about Districts 65 and up, there is almost no Shinigami presence. It's the same for the North, West, and East Rukongais too. The only time when one does come is when he or she originally came from that District; and, even then, the visits stop shortly after. No one wants to be associated with us." I knew about the Shinigami, or at least I knew what their jobs were. I knew that they manipulated their reiatsu so that they could do all sorts of things. What? I had no idea. I just knew that I could get stronger if I became one.

To tell the truth, it was kind of distasteful of them to ignore their duties when it suited them. It was one of their duties and any organization as big as them should be able to handle their duties. Maybe they decided it was okay to slack off since it wasn't one of the duties that the Soul King specifically gave them, but more of something that the top echelons decided to add in. But, to only patrol some Districts and disregard the others. If that was how these Shinigami really acted, maybe I had to rethink my plans. I could always get stronger by myself.

"Hey. I don't mean ta rush ya or anythin', but I've got somewhere I gotta be. If ya want, ya could come with me. I'm just meetin' with Master. If ya need anything, Master is the one ta go ta. Besides, he can definitely explain more ta ya since yer knew here and all." Sho pointed his finger at a random direction and continued, "His place is right over there. A little more than 1 kilometer."

I shrugged. This 'Master' person seemed interesting enough, especially since he had the power to keep this District safe. "So, what's this Master person like?"

Sho seemed to light up at the question. It seemed that he really respected the man if the next few minutes he spent describing the man's 'awesomeness' was any indication. Based on the descriptions of this 'Master' person's feats, I started to guess at what he would look like. In my mind, I picture a man covered with scars and bulging with muscles carrying a heavy axe or mace as a weapon. I didn't know about the weapon, but the man had to have a lot of muscle to be able to do the things Sho said he did.

We arrived at a little shack-like house about 15 minutes later. Compared to the places I'd seen so far, this place looked far more livable despite its small size. There was an aura surrounding it that set my hairs on edge. This feeling alone would have no doubt discouraged any trespassers from stepping within 20 yards of the place.

Sho purposefully stepped up to the door. Instead of knocking like I thought he would, he put his hand on the door and started to generate some kind of energy into his palm. Was this reiatsu? And if so, how could Sho use it?

The door opened automatically, which surprised me since I didn't hear the doorknob turn. Both of us stepped inside, me a bit more tentatively than my companion.

I couldn't help but blurt out my next words after what I saw. "So, you're the Master that Sho's been going on about? No offense, but you don't look like much." I didn't mean to be rude or anything. It's just that, given how Sho talked about this 'Master' person, I thought he would look more…what's the word? Strong? Sturdy? Undisabled? Hmm, was that even a word?

* * *

*Seiten - literally means clear sky. Don't know what made me name it that, but yeah...

There's something I thought really weird. According to Word Doc, I only have about 5,800 words. But then I saved this story on Fanfic and added some line divisions ( 4 I think) and all of a sudden, I have over 6,000 words. What?


End file.
